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Latest News For You | For Agency Professionals
Download a PDF Version of the NJ 2-1-1 Relief and Recovery Assistance Guide
Where to Turn if You are Looking for Someone
FamilyLinks
The American Red Cross, through the International Committee of the Red Cross, has established a family linking web site. Access the Red Cross Family Links Web site. It is available in multiple languages. The information given on the Web site is not confidential and can be viewed by anyone. The majority of postings on the FamilyLinks Web site are from people who are searching for loved ones.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE FAMILYLINKS WEB SITE - First search The List. Try various spellings of the name. If your relative is not on the list, click on "Register Your Relative". Family members should search the List regularly to see if their loved one has registered. If there are multiple search results, multiple people may be seeking the same individual and could have extra information.
Person Finder
The State Department has several resources for inquiring about the welfare and whereabouts of friends and family:
To Ask For or Provide Information About U.S. Citizens in Haiti:
E-mail the Task Force at Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov OR
From the U.S. or Canada, call 888-407-4747 (Other countries, call
202-501-4444)
To Ask For or Provide Information About U.S. Citizens in Chile:
E-mail the Task Force at ChileEarthquake@state.govOR
From the U.S. or Canada, call 888-407-4747 (Other countries, call
202-501-4444)
For U.S. Citizens in Haiti Seeking Assistance or Reporting Their Status/Whereabouts:
E-mail the Embassy at ACSPaP@state.gov OR
Call the Embassy's Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089,
509-2229-8322, or 509-2229-8672
For all Nationalities and Locations: The U.S. State Department has launched a new tool called "Person Finder," to enable people to find and share information on missing loved ones in either country. In addition to helping people find their loved ones, this tool will make the data accessible to other governments and private organizations in an easily manageable and accessible format.
Person Finder for Chile.
Person Finder for Haiti.
When contacting any of the numbers or using the e-mails above, please include the following information:
1) The full name, date of birth and passport information (if known) of the person you are trying to contact.
2) Their contact information in Haiti or Chile; telephone numbers, e-mail address, hotel name or address (if known)
3) Your name and contact information, and your relationship to the person (parent, spouse, friend etc.)
4) Any special or emergency circumstances.
SATERN
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) has volunteers that have been monitoring Ham radios all night for information coming from the area. Should anyone be looking to locate a loved one or get any information on someone they can register here and go to "health and welfare registry".
For inquiries about relatives who have citizenship in Haiti, please be patient and call them repeatedly until the lines clear or contact other family members who live nearby. Telephone, Internet and other communication lines are often disrupted in times of disaster.
Announcements in Creole from the Us Embasy in Haiti
Public Service Announcements (in Creole)
"Temporary Protected Status" Information for Haitian's Living in the U.S.
The Secretary of Homeland Security has announced the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. This is a historic disaster, and TPS will allow eligible Haitian nationals who are currently in the United States to continue living and working in our country for the next 18 months (Until July 22, 2011.) This designation is part of the Administration's continuing efforts to support Haiti's recovery, and will protect Haitians who would otherwise be endangered by returning home. It is important to note that TPS will apply only to those individuals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. Those who attempt to travel to the United States after January 12, 2010 will not be eligible for TPS and will be repatriated. Haitians in the U.S. who are eligible to apply for TPS should click here to find helpful information about filing and answers to frequently asked questions.
You are eligible to apply for Temporary Protected Status if:
- You are a citizen/national of Haiti, or have no nationality but last resided in Haiti
- You have resided in the US since or before January 12, 2010 AND
- You have been physically present in the US since January 21, 2010
You may not be eligible if you have certain criminal convictions.
You must apply for TPS and submit the appropriate forms and documentation by July 20, 2010. The total filing fees are $470, but you may request a waiver with evidence that you are unable to pay the fee. It is advised that you get legal advice before filing your application for TPS. Beware of notaries public. They are not qualified to give you immigration advice or prepare your TPS application.
Legal Services Available as you Apply for TPS
If you are unable to afford services call Legal Services of New Jersey's hotline at 1-888-576-5529, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM. State that you are calling about Haitian TPS. Interpreters are available for Creole, French and other languages. Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) is a statewide, non-profit organization that provides free legal advice in civil matters and, in certain cases, free representation to low-income New Jersey residents.
If you qualify for their services, they may be able to represent you in your TPS application at no cost to you. LSNJ will conduct intake over the phone and either take the case at LSNJ or refer callers to a volunteer lawyer who has agreed to work on those issues completely pro bono (free of charge). The list has been compiled through the New Jersey State Bar Association and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice. Learn more from their informational flyer.
To learn more about LSNJ, please visit their Web site or call 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529). A list of their local offices can be found here.
Helpful Tips for those Seeking Temporary Protected Status
Need Help? – Dial 2-1-1
You are encouraged to dial “2-1-1” 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need help in understanding and finding available assistance services. Language translation and TTY services are offered to any caller. You can also search our database for services in your local community or Chat Live with an experienced community resource specialist. 2-1-1 will help identify with you the best local resources to fit your individual needs during times of distress or for life’s everyday situations.
If you know of additional resources that would be appropriate to include in this section, please let us know by contacting us via e-mail at info@nj211.org.
Sources include:
http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/
http://www.state.gov/haitiquake
http://www.qso.com
http://www.america.gov
http://www.uscis.gov
LSNJ Haiti TPS flyer 2-4-10.pdf
Page last modified on 3.30.10
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